Egypt to consider opening airspace, set maximum price for coronavirus treatment: Gov’t
FILE – A plane wing – Pixabay/FoundryCAIRO – 1 June 2020: The government will discuss this week the issue of reopening airspace and operating flights again after a long halt over coronavirus (COVID-19), Cabinet’s spokesman Nader Saad said on Sunday.Although Egypt has suspended flights due to the coronavirus crisis, the state’s flag carrier EgyptAir has operated several exceptional flights to many countries to bring the stranded nationals abroad.Concerning coronavirus treatment, Saad said Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli has known about the extremely high price of treatment from the novel virus at private hospitals and has ordered forming a committee to put a price ceiling for private hospitals to adhere to.“The relevant ministers will meet and determine this ceiling based on the available data for the prices of medical services. Private hospitals who are willing to treat coronavirus will have to adhere to the maximum price,” Saad said.Details about the maximum price will be announced during the coming few days and maybe in less than a week, Saad said, adding that prices will vary according to the service provided, including the type of the room and whether the patient needs a ventilator or not.Egypt reported 1536 new coronavirus, COVID-19 cases, Sunday, raising the total number of confirmed cases since the outbreak in Egypt to 24985.Spokesman for the Health Ministry Khaled Megahed said in the daily briefing that 46 patients have died from the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 959.As many as 344 patients were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving necessary medical care, taking the number of recovered cases to 6810 so far, the spokesman said.The number of coronavirus patients who had now been retested for the virus and received negative results has reached 6037, he added.
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 12:11 UTC
Egypt’s US dollar exchange rate rises Monday
US dollar exchange rates against the Egyptian pound increased in banks across Egypt on Monday, compared to Sunday’s exchange rates. The exchange rate for US dollars at the Central Bank of Egypt was set at LE15.83 for purchase and LE15.80 for selling, compared to LE15.80 for purchase and LE15.90 for selling on Sunday. Rates at the National Bank of Egypt (NBE) and Bank Misr increased by three piasters, recording LE15.82 for purchase and LE15.92 for selling. The price of the dollar in ALEXBANK reached LE15.83 for purchase and LE15.93 for selling. Dollar rates recorded LE15.83 for purchase and LE15.94 for selling at the Bank al-Qahira, the Commercial International Bank (CIB), the HSBC Bank, Audi Bank, the Arab African International Bank (AAIB), and the Suez Canal Bank.
Source:Egypt Independent
June 01, 2020 12:00 UTC
Egyptian singer Nihal Nabil tests positive for coronavirus
File- Nihal Nabil. CAIRO – 1 June 2020: Egyptian singer Nihal Nabil announced that she and her mother tested positive for the coronavirus.Nabil and her mother are now receiving the needed treatment in their home quarantine.It is also worth mentioning that Aya Abdel Rahman, anchor-woman of the Egyptian Extra News channel, announced on May 31 that she tested positive for the coronavirus.Additionally, veteran Egyptian actress Ragaa el-Gedawy tested positive for the coronavirus. The famed actress is currently in the Isolation Hospital in Ismailia.Famed TV anchor Wael el-Abrashy announced that he previously spoke to Gedawy and that she is in very good health, but her psychological condition is not okay, because she loves to be surrounded by her family and friends. "Family visits during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr are behind the increase in the number of patients infected with COVID-19," presidential advisor Mohamed Awad Tag el-Deen said Sunday.He added that medical facilities are “still able” to handle the expected numbers.Although the restaurants and mosques were closed during Ramadan, which are places heavily frequented during the holy month, some people managed to exchange visits despite the curfew which began at 9 p.m.Tag el-Deen explained in a press conference that a protocol and home quarantine are advised for mild cases, appealing to the public to follow preventative measures. "The new procedures of diagnosis and treatment allow the immediate handling of coronavirus patients," the advisor stressed.At the same press conference, Health Minister Hala Zayed stated that the number of quarantine hospitals rose from 18 to 340 with a total capacity of 35,152 beds, 3,539 ICU beds, 2,218 ventilators, 125 CT scanners, and 643 X-Ray devices.Egypt recorded 1536 new coronavirus cases on May 31, raising the total number of confirmed cases since the outbreak in Egypt to 24985.
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 12:00 UTC
Egypt demolishes almost 26K unlicensed buildings in 65 days
FILE - Government removed an illegal building on agricultural lands- Press photo/ Ministry of Water Resources and IrrigationCAIRO – 1 June 2020: The Ministry of Local Development demolished 10,611 unlicensed buildings on state-owned and privately-held lands between March 25 and May 30 in addition to 15,249 buildings established on agricultural lands.There were 1,542 buildings constructed on more than 16,000 feddans owned by the state, and 13,707 buildings constructed on private 3,600 feddans.Construction is banned on agricultural lands even if privately held. As for state-owned lands, agricultural or not, the government launched a campaign in 2017 to remove squatters.In a different context, the amount of garbage collected between March 18 and May 28 has recorded 4.2 million tons with a daily average of 59,700 tons. The breakdown is 48.5 percent collected from Greater Cairo, 26 percent from Delta governorates, 13.4 percent from Upper Egypt, 9 percent from coastal governorates, and 3.3 percent from Suez Canal governorates.The Ministry of Local Development suspended for six months the issuance of construction licenses for private buildings in Greater Cairo, Alexandria, capitals of governorates, and main cities.The suspension includes licenses for modifications in the buildings like adding floors and expansions. The suspension is aimed at ensuring that terms and conditions pertinent to the construction are met.It is noted that President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi instructed the continuation of mega national projects while taking protective measures against COVID-19. Those mainly include constructions in the 20 planned new cities, public transportation facilities, and roads among others.In March, President Sisi instructed the postponement of the inauguration of national mega projects that were supposed to take place in 2020 to 2021, including the government’s relocation to the New Administrative Capital and the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 12:00 UTC
Egypt demolishes almost 26K unlicensed buildings in 65 buildings
FILE - Government removed an illegal building on agricultural lands- Press photo/ Ministry of Water Resources and IrrigationCAIRO – 1 June 2020: The Ministry of Local Development demolished 10,611 unlicensed buildings on state-owned and privately-held lands between March 25 and May 30 in addition to 15,249 buildings established on agricultural lands.There were 1,542 buildings constructed on more than 16,000 feddans owned by the state, and 13,707 buildings constructed on private 3,600 feddans.Construction is banned on agricultural lands even if privately held. As for state-owned lands, agricultural or not, the government launched a campaign in 2017 to remove squatters.In a different context, the amount of garbage collected between March 18 and May 28 has recorded 4.2 million tons with a daily average of 59,700 tons. The breakdown is 48.5 percent collected from Greater Cairo, 26 percent from Delta governorates, 13.4 percent from Upper Egypt, 9 percent from coastal governorates, and 3.3 percent from Suez Canal governorates.The Ministry of Local Development suspended for six months the issuance of construction licenses for private buildings in Greater Cairo, Alexandria, capitals of governorates, and main cities.The suspension includes licenses for modifications in the buildings like adding floors and expansions. The suspension is aimed at ensuring that terms and conditions pertinent to the construction are met.It is noted that President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi instructed the continuation of mega national projects while taking protective measures against COVID-19. Those mainly include constructions in the 20 planned new cities, public transportation facilities, and roads among others.In March, President Sisi instructed the postponement of the inauguration of national mega projects that were supposed to take place in 2020 to 2021, including the government’s relocation to the New Administrative Capital and the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 12:00 UTC
Telecom Egypt, Etisalat Misr sign 2 new agreements
Telecom Egypt premises - Creative Commons via WikimediaCAIRO – 1 June 2020: Telecom Egypt and Etisalat Misr signed two first of its kind agreements relating to transmission and mobile-to-fixed interconnection.Telecom Egypt clarified that the first agreement entails a development of the company’s transmission and infrastructure services' commercial model with Etisalat Misr, where Etisalat Misr for the first time signs a long-term agreement including an annual commitment for Telecom Egypt's infrastructure and transmission services.“The agreement will enable Etisalat Misr to continue delivering premium offers and mobile telecommunications services to its customers in the Egyptian market and extends for three and a half years with a total value of LE 2 billion,” it added.The second agreement is a mobile-to-fixed termination agreement representing the first commercial arrangement on mobile-to-fixed between Telecom Egypt and Etisalat Misr and the second for Telecom Egypt in the Egyptian market.“The transmission agreement is evidence that Telecom Egypt's long-term commercial model is indeed valued by all mobile operators in the market. 'We are pleased with the development of our strategic partnership with Telecom Egypt, a company that we consider to be our success partner in the Egyptian market. We always strive through such agreements to provide the latest and highest quality integrated services to our customers using the most advanced technological solutions prevalent in global markets. It has subsidiaries operating across British Islands, Western Europe, Northern Africa and Middle East.Etisalat Misr is a subsidiary of Etisalat group, with total presence in 16 countries across Africa, Middle East and Asia. Etisalat group entered the Egyptian market and commercially launched in May 2007.
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 11:48 UTC
Egypt dispatches coronavirus medical aid to Congo and Zambia
And in Zambia the aid plane was received by Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia Ahmed Mostafa, Vice President of Zambia Inonge Wina and several Zambian officials. Officials in both Zambia and the Congo expressed their deep gratitude to Egypt for its support in helping them confront the coronavirus outbreak. Egypt previously sent aid to other countries to help them in their fight against the pandemic. In May, Egypt sent a military airplane carrying medical aid to South Sudan to help the nation combat its COVID-19 pandemic. And in March and April, the Egyptian government sent two separate shipments carrying medical supplies to Italy.
Source:Egypt Independent
June 01, 2020 11:03 UTC
Egyptian minister follows up on construction of Tanzanian dam
The amount of electricity produced per annum will be 6,307 megawatts/hour. The capacity of the transmission lines connecting the plant to a regular power plant is 400 kilovolts.Four dams will be constructed in addition to the main dam in order to form the reservoir. Also, 2 temporary dams located in front of and behind the main dam will be in place to redirect Rufiji River while the main dam is being built. One of them is for emergencies.The project includes a tunnel extending on 703 meters to redirect the river, and 3 other tunnels transmitting water to the hydropower plant. The trade balance between the two countries is in favor of Egypt at $37.28 million.
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 11:03 UTC
Egypt amends bank working hours as of Tuesday
The governor of the Central Bank of Egypt has agreed to amend bank working hours for employees beginning Tuesday, June 2 to eight am to three pm, with customer hours being from eight am to 2:30 pm. Previous working hours were from nine am to four am for employees and 9:30 am to three pm for customers. The Chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Banks (FEB) and President of Banque Misr Mohamed al-Etriby posted an official letter showing the new working hours on his Facebook page, following cooperation between the CBE and FEB. The decision came in response to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly’s amendment of Egypt’s curfew hours. Madbouly said earlier this month that life in Egypt will begin to return back to normal by mid-June, with restrictions currently in place to be lifted.
Source:Egypt Independent
June 01, 2020 10:18 UTC
Egypt's central bank issues LE 23.25B in T-bonds, bills Monday
FILE- CBECAIRO – 1 June 2020: The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, issued LE 23.25 billion in treasury bonds and bills on Monday, June 1.The T-bills are at a value of LE 20 billion. They will be offered in two installments; the first installment is valued at LE 9.5 billion with a 91-day term and the second is worth LE 10.5 billion with a 273-day term.While the T-bonds will be offered at a value of LE 3.25 billion with a 10-year term.For the current fiscal year, the budget deficit is estimated to record LE 445.1 billion, or 7.2 percent, planned by the ministry to be financed through treasury bills and bonds and through international and Arab loans.The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) decided May 14 to keep the overnight deposit rate, the overnight lending rate, and the rate of the main operation at 9.25 percent, 10.25 percent, and 9.75 percent, respectively. Moreover, credit and discount rates are cut at 9.75 percent from 12.75 percent.Earlier, CBE decided in March to cut the overnight deposit rate, the overnight lending rate, and the rate of the main operation in an emergency meeting by 300 basis points.Egypt's 2020/2021 draft budget aims to reduce public debt of GDP to 82.7 percent by end of June 2021, up from earlier target of 82.5 percent by the end of June 2020 and to 77.5 percent by the end of June 2022.
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 09:56 UTC
GAFI, Samsung probe investing $23M in Egypt
Samsung is revamping its Bixby digital assistant and making it available on competing devices, ramping up competition with rivals such as Amazon's Alexa - AFP/FileCAIRO - 1 June 2020: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the General Authority for Free Zones and Investment (GAFI) Mohamed Abdel Wahab discussed on Sunday with Choonki Kwon, the chairman of Samsung Electronics Egypt, pumping more investments worth $23 million in the Egyptian market in 2020.Samsung will open a new production line to manufacture computer monitors in August. It also plans to pump investments worth $84 million in the coming five years.Abdel Wahab noted that Samsung would benefit from the new amendments to the investment law, which offers investment incentives for Samsung new projects.The South Korean giant seeks to expand its activities in Egypt to export its products abroad as about 85% of its production is exported.The two officials tackled implementing a joint plan to lure enormous investments in the feeding industries for Samsung to promote the local industry.During the meeting, Kwon said Samsung Egypt's successes contribute to turning Egypt into a major hub for export, noting that Samsung employs nearly 2,000 workers in Egypt.
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 09:45 UTC
Red Sea hotels to operate at 50% capacity
The Red Sea governorate reported its first coronavirus case on Saturday following the return of domestic tourism and hotel operation, said Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafy. The government allowed for hotels to operate again at 25 percent of their capacity until June 1, when they can operate at 50 percent capacity. Egyptian hotels in Hurghada on the Red Sea were among the first group of hotels to receive domestic tourists after hotels were temporarily ordered to close due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Hurghada hotels witnessed increased occupancy rates during Eid al-Fitr holiday at a maximum capacity of 25 percent. Tourism experts have estimated that Egypt’s tourism sector is losing one billion dollars a month due to the pandemic.
Source:Egypt Independent
June 01, 2020 09:33 UTC
Football will not be the same anymore: Messi
Lionel Messi - FILELionel Messi, Barcelona icon and one of the best soccer players in history, believes that the game will change a lot after the pandemic, Coronavirus. "Football, like life in general, will not be like the previous one," the Argentine said in his interview with El Pais newspaper. "Whoever has lived through the current situation will remember it one way or another," the 32-year-old added. "For me, I feel sorry and disappointed for those who suffered the loss of their lovers. "He added, "Everyone is watching how the world will be after what happened, the football will be affected on the economic side because there are companies that will suffer badly after the virus ends.
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 08:37 UTC
Family visits in Ramadan led to soaring Covid-19 cases: presidential advisor
COVID-19CAIRO - 31 May 2020: Family visits during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr are behind the increase in the number of patients infected with Covid-19, presidential advisor Mohamed Awad Tag el-Deen said Sunday.He said medical facilities are “still able” to handle the expected numbers.Although the restaurants and mosques were closed during Ramadan, which are places heavily frequented during the holy month, some people managed to exchange visits break their fast at dusk together even as the curfew began at 9 p.m.Tag el-Deen added in a press conference that a protocol and home quarantine are advised for mild cases, appealing to the public to follow preventative measures.The new procedures of diagnosis and treatment allow the immediate handling of coronavirus patients, the advisor added.At the same press conference, Health Minister Hala Zayed stated that the number of quarantine hospitals rose from 18 to 340 with a total capacity of 35,152 beds, 3,539 ICU beds, 2,218 ventilators, 125 CT scanners, and 643 X-Ray devices.2020: Egypt recorded 1536 new coronavirus, COVID-19 cases, Sunday, raising the total number of confirmed cases since the outbreak in Egypt to 24985.
Source:Egypt Today
June 01, 2020 01:30 UTC
US amb. thanks Egyptian hospital staff for treating COVID-19 positive tourist
FILE – US Diplomat Jonathan Cohen - ReutersCAIRO – 31 May 2020: US Ambassador to Egypt Jonathan Cohen thanked the staff of Abu Khalifa Emergency Hospital in northeastern Egypt after they treated a US tourist who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).In a cable he sent to Ali Hatab, the director of the hospital, Cohen thanked the staff “on behalf of the United States government” for the “exceptional care” they showed toward the US visitor.“You and your staff’s extraordinary care of our citizen proved instrumental in his successful recovery and safe return to his family in the United States,” the cable read.“I deeply appreciate your tireless efforts and sacrifice to make his recovery a success. Your care of our citizen continues to demonstrate the strong ties of friendship that exist between the United States and Egypt.”“Once again, thank you for your remarkable commitment to our citizens’ health and safety during this time.”The 49-year old tourist took pictures with the medical staff at the hospital to thank everyone for hosting him, after he recovered in April.Abu Khalifa hospital started receiving coronavirus patients on March 8th, to become the second quarantine hospital in the northeastern African country. The hospital has 127 beds, including 37 intensive care beds, and 42 ventilators. The first quarantine hospital is Al-Negela Hospital in Matrouh governorate in northern Egypt.Egypt has recorded 1,367 new coronavirus, COVID-19 cases, Saturday, raising the total number of confirmed cases since the outbreak in Egypt to 23,449.Spokesman for the Health Ministry Khaled Megahed said in the daily briefing that 34 patients have died from the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 913.As many as 182 patients were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving necessary medical care, taking the number of recovered cases to 5,693 so far, the spokesman said.The number of coronavirus patients who had now been retested for the virus and received negative results has reached 6,456, he added.
Source:Egypt Today
May 31, 2020 17:15 UTC